2011-11-28_PERMIT FILE - C1992081 (35)

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included redtop, native and Kentucky bluegrass, quackgrass (ACroovron reoens), slender • wheatgras s, western wheatgrass, and foxtail barley (HOrdeum iubatum). Forb species present in the type included yarrow, dandelion (Tar axacum officinele), gumweed, fleabane and Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense). As with the other vegetation communities in close proximately to Dry Creek, grazing pressure had been heavy during the growing season. AM - Alkaline Meadow. The 5.4 acre alkaline meadow vegetation type is a graminoid dominated community located on first terrace Dry Creek alluvium. It is most likely subirriga[ed for most of its growing season. The community is not large in areal extent, as it is restricted to a fairly narrow band in the Dry Creek channel. Several Carex and Juncus species were common and abundant in areas adjacent to water, becoming less so farther from the channel. Slender wheatgress, redtop, native and Kentucky bluegrass and foxtail barley were commonly observed grasses. Forbs were not a eanspi cuous component in this type. Several occurrences of river hawthorn (Crataeaas rivuleri s) on the banks of Dry Creek were noted in this type. The hawthorn were in poor condition. Grazing pressure, both past and present, has been heavy in this community. Channel banks showed considerable erosion and instability as a result of livestock presence. G - Grassland. This smell (0.8 acres) localized community occurs on a calluvial fan which • receives run-on moisture from upland areas draining the Yampa Valley airport facility and adjacent undisturbed sLopea. The added drainage from the airport facility appears to have created a more mesic than normal condition, Grasses are the dominant lifeform and both cover end production are much greater than adjacent sagebrush communities. Yestern wheatgrass, slender wheatgrass, native and Kentucky bluegrass and various introduced pasture grasses were the most common species observed. Forbs such as yarrow, fleabane end dandelion were present. DC - Reveaetated Cropland Disturbances. This type (30.4 acres) includes areas formerly dryland cropped with annual small grains. The area is west of Dry Creek in the rail loop but originally included the area of the current loadout facility end associated disturbances. As is the ease for dryland cropping areas in the region, fields were located on rolling topography originally comprised of sagebrush communities on clayey soils. These cropland fields were eventually abandoned es cropland end seeded with perennial species before construction of the loadout facility end rail loop. Reinvasion of woody plants, primarily rubber rabbitbrush, indicates that the fields may have been seeded sometime ago. Smooth brome and crested wheatgress (Aaroovron cristetum), the more common species 4